Have you thought about buying an air fryer? Before you spend more than a $100 on one, here are 13 important things you should know from someone who's used it for nearly 4 years.
Jump to:
- How does it work?
- Which model should you buy?
- 1) What size will you buy?
- 2) Are you ok with non-stick material?
- 3) Do you want to clean it?
- 4) You can’t see the food
- 5) How many buttons do you want to push?
- 6) It won’t do batter fried food
- 7) You still have to add oil
- 8) Is it loud?
- 9) Does it make food crispy?
- 10) It works well for pan-fried foods
- 11) Is it worth the price?
- 12) What could you buy instead?
- 13) Can it replace your microwave?
- Would I buy one again?
- Why might you fall in love with it?
- Related Recipes
How does it work?
The air fryer is based on the technology of a convection oven that circulates hot air with a powerful fan.
Convection ovens are a favorite of professional chefs and a staple in restaurant kitchens where I used to work, but they are not staples in the average home kitchen.
The ability to brown food beautifully and make food crispy without having a deep fry it makes the convection oven technology so attractive.
The air fryer mimics the circulating hot air by compacting the convection oven into a small countertop appliance that can dramatically improve your ability to make restaurant style food at home quickly and easily.
Which model should you buy?
In 2019, I purchased a Philips Airfryer HD9641, on a whim for Black Friday. It has been one of the best purchases I ever made, and the best addition to my kitchen just short of an actual human dishwasher.
Back then, there very few models on the market and very few sizes to choose from. There are now too many air fryer models to count that come in also sorts of shapes, sizes, bells, and whistles.
America's Test Kitchen previously rated the Philips Air Fryer as the best one on the market.
They have since updated their review and now recommend the 6 in 1 Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer in 2023. The Food Network also rated it as the #1 air fryer in 2023.
I have since purchased that air fryer for reasons I will explain at the in this post (see #2 below).
I just wish I knew these 13 things before buying one, so you may want to consider them too.
1) What size will you buy?
Smaller means cheaper for most air fryers, but please take a moment to consider how much food you actually want to cook on a regular basis.
Maybe you want to spring the extra money for the XXL size because you have more mouths to feed or just a very large appetite.
You would think the 2.75qt size would be good for 2 people, but I actually think it really only works well for 1 adult serving or after school snacks for 2 little ones.
The 2.75 qt size will fit one pound of chicken wings comfortably without touching each other. This ensure maximum browning.
It also fits 1 giant croissant, 1 hot pocket, and maybe 2 lamb chops.
Even if you don't eat a lot of food, the XXL size doesn't seem that much bigger on your countertop but could heat up a lot more food.
2) Are you ok with non-stick material?
The non-stick surfaces make the interior easy to clean up.
However, the polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon, will eventually deteriorate, and it's all too easy to scratch up the surface with an errant fork or metal tongs.
According to Scientific American, ingesting small flakes of this substance is not harmful, but it does put the longevity of the air fryer into question.
How do you make sure your air fryer lasts as long as possible?
DO NOT PUT THE NONSTICK PARTS IN THE DISHWASHER.
Repeating one more time for emphasis, DO NOT PUT THE NONSTICK PARTS IN THE DISHWASHER.
I did, and that's how I ruined the nonstick basket that came with the Philips Air Fryer.
They (as in the companies trying to sell you nonstick technology) say that nonstick is dishwasher safe. Maybe it's safe as in it won't cause harm to you, but it's definitely not dishwasher friendly.
Though the actual air fryer heating element is still going strong after many years, the nonstick basket has reached the end of its life. It's caked with gunk from leftover oil, and putting it in the dishwasher only slowly wore away the ability for the nonstick surface to be truly nonstick.
I tried to replace just the nonstick basket, but lo and behold Philips does not sell a replacement for just the nonstick basket.
On the other hand, Ninja does sell replacement nonstick baskets for its brand of air fryers, and Instant Pot also sells replacement nonstick racks.
I suppose Philips expects you to just dump the whole appliance and buy a new one?
I'm very disappointed.
The way to get around having to replace your nonstick parts is to 1) DO NOT PUT THE NONSTICK PARTS IN THE DISHWASHER or 2) use parchment paper inserts or silicon baskets to avoid soiling the nonstick parts in the first place.
3) Do you want to clean it?
The whole point of the air fryer is to expose the surface area of the food to the hot circulating air to obtain as much browning and crispiness as possible.
The result is that the heating element and fan at the top of the appliance will get splatters of grease and food bits stuck to it.
To clean the coils and fan requires turning the appliance upside down and getting in there with a toothbrush or small brush to get in all the crevices that are covered by a non-removable wire rack.
Philips provides instructions and a video on their website.
It's just like the top of your microwave. Get up there and clean it or ignore it completely.
4) You can’t see the food
That should be obvious looking at the monocolored vessel but not something you really think about.
Since it uses high heat and you’re not really sure how long anything cooks, it would be helpful if you could take a quick peek, like turning on the oven light in a standard oven.
Instead, you have to open the air fryer and keep checking. It's a slight hassle they've decided you need to live with.
This is still true of the Philips air fryer model, but Instant Pot now makes this version that has a window where you can see the food.
5) How many buttons do you want to push?
In 2016, I also purchased on Instant Pot for Black Friday on a whim. I still don't know how to use it.
The Philips air fryer, on the other hand has one main dial. It's plug in and push one button. Turn the dial to set the time and temperature, then push the dial to turn the air fryer on.
Meanwhile, the 6 in 1 Instant Pot air fryer has so many options.
Do I really want to air fry, roast, bake, broil, or dehydrate? Huh? I just want to eat. Soon.
6) It won’t do batter fried food
Wash those dreams of crispy tempura shrimp far, far away (unless you buy the frozen ones from Costco).
All that wet batter will slip off the food by the time the air fryer heats up.
You’ll have to make modifications to the recipe by coating with breadcrumbs and brushing with oil, which brings us to the next point you should know.
7) You still have to add oil
It won't get brown on its own. You still need to brush it with some fat that will aid the browning and crispy factor in the oven.
Now the caveat to this if you have something that already has a lot of fa such as bacon, chicken wings, or ground beef burgers.
You don't need to add oil bacon. It has so much fat already, it will get brown on its own.
(Bacon is also a great contender for cooking in the air fryer to avoid grease splatters on your stove top.)
8) Is it loud?
I stand by my claim that this sucker (the Philips air fryer) is loud, like really loud, though many readers have disagreed with me.
Like a small airplane landing in your backyard or living next to a busy highway, you can hear this constant hum in the background. Like your own personal leaf blower in your kitchen.
It’s the equivalent of high powered fans over a restaurant gas range. You get used to it after a while, but it is terribly noticeable.
It also smokes if you stuff it too much with wet food.
The first time I used it, I stuffed 3 pounds of chicken wings in there, and it was like a humidifier.
Tip: Put the air fryer on your stove top right underneath your fan. This does mean even more noise but you'll also keep all the aromas from wafting through your whole house.
Alternately, you can put a peice of sliced bread at the bottom of the tray underneath the cooking rack to sop up the drippings and keep them from turning into vapor.
Update: The Instant Pot air fryer is noticeably quieter, but it still makes a hum in the background like the kitchen fan.
9) Does it make food crispy?
That is the million dollar question. Can we have deep fried food without actually having to deep fry food?
The air fryer does make food crispy, but it needs help. You need to add some kind of breading and coat with oil. The more generous with the oil you are, the better.
However, if you just put naked chicken wings in the air fryer, they will definitely not get as crispy as if you dropped them in a vat of hot oil. They still do get nicely brown and slightly crispy.
10) It works well for pan-fried foods
Despite the noticeable inferiority to an actual deep fryer, the air fryer displays its colors and true hidden talent with pan-fried food.
Anything you would normally cook on the stove top in a skillet fries beautifully and much more pristinely in the air fryer.
Bacon, hamburgers, anything you would pan-fry or put on the grill but don’t feel like heating it up.
Avoid the grease splatter, stove top clean up, and pan scrubbing by using the small air fryer.
11) Is it worth the price?
In 2019, it was not worth the price.
For Black Friday on Amazon in 2019, it was $175, but the regular price hovers around $250. For that price, you could get an Apple watch or a year's supply of Kettle Chips for all the crispiness you could ever want.
A convection toaster oven where you could actually see the food cooking would seem to be more convenient than the constant opening and closing.
The price of the Instant Pot Vortex in 2023 is around $120. If you use it everyday, like i practically do, then it is worth it.
12) What could you buy instead?
You could get a convection toaster oven. Wire-Cutter magazine tested the air fryer, and while they also rated the Philips model as the best, they actually don't recommend it due to its high cost and clean up.
The clean up requires dissembling the non-stick basket when you could simply clean a tray that goes in a toaster oven.
I’m not entirely sure that a home convection toaster oven would do be as effective as the air fryer, but it would be helpful to see the food as it cooks.
So far, I’m happy with it but not so sure about that non-stick coating that will eventually deteriorate and release toxic chemicals.
13) Can it replace your microwave?
For 2 years, I did not have a microwave and just used the air fryer.
The microwave broke, and I just didn't get around to replacing it for 2 whole years.
The air fryer can reheat solid food splendidly, and dare I say it tastes way better than microwaved food.
Microwaving food zaps the the delicate aromatic, volatile compounds that gives food flavor.
Most nice restaurants don't use one because it's gross.
You just won't be able to reheat liquids like soups and stews, without some kind of air fryer safe silicon vessel.
Would I buy one again?
Yes, I would and I did.
I had to. The nonstick surface of the air fryer basket simply deteriorated. Residue from leftover oil had caked on, and it was just really hard to clean.
I wanted to simply replace the air basket instead of buying a whole new air fryer, but guess what?
Philips does not sell a replacement air fryer basket, like Ninja and other companies do. Instant Pot does sell the nonstick rack separately for under $20.
For the price I paid, it was expensive. I’m trying to move away from non-stick surfaces...but the air fryer is just a regular part of my life now.
Why might you fall in love with it?
Like many flings and shiny objects, there is a passion period at the beginning of any relationship where you love and adore something and overlook all its inherent flaws.
The Philips Air Fryer and Instant Pot Vortex overall works and gets the job done quickly and easily.
The initial honeymoon ended for me, but I'm still happily using this countertop appliance daily and not getting grease splatters all over the stove top from having to pan fry foods in oil.
Do you love your air fryer too? Comment below with your thoughts and experiences!
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Related Recipes
Looking for some foolproof air fryer recipes? Try these:
Fortune Cookie 🥠
"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain!" - Dolly Parton
Marilou Angelastro says
I have been on the fence on whether r not I want one, now I don't think so. Noisy appliances are not something I want, ever. Smoky? Don't beed that either.
[email protected] says
Hi Marilou! Other models besides Philips may be less smoky and noisy. I find it's only smoky when I stuff a lot of wet food inside like chicken. But yes do consider the pros/cons before buying!
Tim Wolfe says
Maybe it's the model you chose, but I have had an air fryer for almost 3 years, and most of the 7 things mentioned here are not accurate, at least in my case. Both of the air fryers I have had were pretty quiet. The reason I have hd 2 is we decided to get a larger one, My air fryer doesn't smoke, at least not that I have noticed, I suppose if it did go to a higher temperature, things may get crisper, and cook a bit quicker, but it's not really that big of a deal, I find the crispiness to be pretty good, and the food cooks plenty quick. I can also cook almost anything in mine, and have it come out good.it is true that you can't see the food, but many of the newer models have clear doors, so you can see the food.You can do battered food, but it is messy, but comes out ok, air frying pre battered frozen food, is a much easier proposition, but this slight negative point is not a deal breaker. Yes adding a light coating of oil or butter does crisp and brown better, and it's still healthier than total immersion in the oil of a deep fryer. The basket in my air fryer doesn't appear to be coated in Teflon, where the basket sits might be, but the food never contacts this area. As far as cost, our first smaller air fryer was $80, and the larger one was right around $120 if memory serves, possibly a bit less. So overall I would give it an A-, it's not perfect, but highly versitle, you can cook almost anything, and even bake in the air fryer. Just like any other kitchen appliance, some work better than others. I have a Power Air fryer Elite. , The smaller one was an xl model, that I gave to my girlfriend who also loves it. Maybe the model you have isn't very good, But in my opinion air frying works great.
Gabazea says
Agreed. Not long acquired, @£59.99…. No big deal , some normal noise for fairly short cooking times; nonsmoking …. Certainly delighted with results, even tho often experimental. High heats not saving electricity…, but depends on amount if use Not a negative! Buy , this side!
[email protected] says
Hi Gabazea! Thank you so much for sharing your opinion and adding to the conversation. I am so happy that the air fryer is working so well for you!
[email protected] says
Hi Tim! Yes, it very well could be the model I have. Though I will say that I have had the model for longer than 3 years and what I wrote was accurate for me. I will be updating the review with well it's lasted over the years. So interesting that you tried it with battered food and it came out ok! Really love your detailed feedback, since it will help others in their decision to purchase. Thanks so much for providing!
Alison says
Yes, I am a new owner and straight away it's saved me money as my food has cooked faster and using less electricity.
[email protected] says
Congratulations Alison! What an exciting and life changing purchase. I even used it to replace my microwave for 2 years, so I hope you get as much use out of it as I have.
Thanks so much for writing and sharing! 🙂
Sur says
I actually love my air fryer. My sister and I bought it at Costco in Florida and brought it home one for me one for her and one for our other sister. On sale for $49 US and the double heighth. I love how it cooks but not how it cleans but I’m still all in. No handles to lift out basket so I wanted to get the silicone liner with handles but hubby won’t eat food cooked in silicone. Having to settle for parchment paper with no handles. Ugh.
[email protected] says
Wow I can't believe you got one for $49. What a steal! How nice of you to honor your husband's wish to not eat from silicone. I've thought about getting the silicone insert but just never gotten around to it (much like using the instant pot). Parchment paper sounds like a good alternative. Maybe using a flat metal spatula might make it easier to lift out? I actually don't use any liners and just wash the thing. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your experience!
Gwen Mulholland says
Best investment I have ever made!! Saves on cooking time and the food is perfect., Easy to use and easy to clean, as for noise and smoke, never noticed any!!
Robin S says
I agree...I bought my first air fryer at Christmas time on sale for $35 & I love it!!! Most of the statements made in this article are false!! Mine is not loud at all, it doesn't smoke, you don't need to use oil, why would you need it to go higher than 400°? I would highly recommend them, they save so much time & you don't have to heat up your big oven. Highly recommend an air fryer!!
[email protected] says
Hi Robin! Thank you for providing your comments and visiting this site! What I wrote was true for me, otherwise I wouldn't have written them. I'm very happy to hear that the air fryer has been an amazing product for you. 🙂
[email protected] says
Hi Gwen! Yay! That's so awesome to hear it's been a wonderful investment. Kitchen appliances can be pricey so good values are appreciated! Thanks so much for reading the review and sharing your thoughts!
Mea Cadwell says
I don't have the same model you tested so my results have been drastically different.
Mine isn't any louder than a microwave and goes up to 425°f.
Our model hasn't have any problems with smoke.
Our model also does great batter fried foods.
As for the non-stick part, when it started to flake we got some silicon inserts and now it actually fries better. The inserts mean no oil is needed and cleanup is very easy.
We've had ours for about 3 years and use it very often to make crispy pizza slices to tempura to even eggs.
I'm sorry the motel you tested seems to have so many problems.
[email protected] says
Hi Mea! I may have an older model that they've tweaked since the one that you purchase does not appear to have the same issues. Great call getting the silicon inserts! I've been meaning to do that to avoid messing up that nonstick coating. Thanks so much for reading the review and sharing your experience!
Summer says
Never had an issue with noise or smoke. I got mine for about $35 usd and has been a lifesaver! It's an Emrald..
[email protected] says
Hi Summer! Wow, $35 is a steal! I wish all lifesavers were that affordable. Really appreciate your thoughts and commentary on this site!
Paige says
I purchased a convection toaster oven/air fryer because I try to avoid one-use appliances. To your point, I do like that I can see the food and easily check on it. I also like that I just have to wash the one tray after I've air fried.
What I don't like is the small amount of food it makes (which I don't think would be any different with a traditional air fryer). I often double (sometimes triple) recipes so we'll have leftovers. To have one meal's worth of left overs with the air fryer, I have to put in another batch and cook it while we're eating - not ideal. I also haven't found that it saves any time. It may be that I am cooking things I wouldn't have before and I just don't have the recipes and techniques down yet. For instance, we never pan fried things before, but now I'm making chicken fried chicken (as opposed to fried chicken) and fried tofu. The dipping and coasting process takes awhile until you know what you're doing.
I'm also looking forward to making bread in it because it has proofing and baking settings. I've never made bread before either, so I'm sure that will take some time to figure out as well.
All in all, I like the toaster oven/air fryer combo if for no other reason that it's not one-use only.
[email protected] says
Hi Paige! I am with you on the small amount of food it holds. It definitely works well for 1 -2 servings or after school snacks. (Kids can make their own food!). I'll be sharing more recipes for the air fryer recipes, so I hope you come back and visit. Thank you so much for sharing your very helpful tips and experiences with this product.
Julys says
This is a lie. My air fryer or the two I've used did none of these things. It's perfect. Eithet you got a lemon, or don't know how to use it. Bums me out how anyone can write anything on the internet and people eat it up...
[email protected] says
Hi Julys! I've used the air fryer for 5 years now. I still think it's loud and steams too much, but I will be updating the review shortly to explain my personal experiences with this product. Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment! 🙂
Kurtis says
This company and/ or sister companies ( possibly even the magazine wire cutter) ) may be writing this content, so as to boost sales of other products they have on sale: rather than buying an air fryer elsewhere.
I ( and seems like many others in the comments agrees) have no problem with the air fryers and nothing like the aforementioned problems in this article. They are extremely versatile and I would highly recommend.
[email protected] says
Hi Kurtis! This site is written by me (a disgruntled home cook, former professional cook), and I have no affiliation with any air fryer products. My review will be updated soon, after having used the air fryer for years now. Thank you so much for stopping by and commenting!
Jillian says
Do they cook cakes and joints ect I am a big cook !
[email protected] says
They do! But depending on the size of your air fryer, you're going to want to cut that cake down to size, like using cupcake or mini bundt pan molds. Regular 8 or 9 inch cake tins want space between the top and bottom of the oven grates, so that the batter cooks EVENLY. Otherwise, your cake will crack. (But you can just level it off with a serrated knife if it does come to that).
As for the joint....girl, I'm not so crazy about that idea. Joints (for us American folk that means a roast), typically have a big 'ol bone in the middle. The whole point of the air fryer is to cook with HIGH HEAT and FAST! A joit is cooked the opposite way, low and slow. But, if you want to eat your beef rib roast/joint, cave man style (charred on the outside and raw..ahem RARE, in the middle), the air fryer just about might work for that.
Let me know if you have any other questions Jillian!
Jen says
I'm sorry but Im thinking you have a very bad model lol.
Mine never smokes. I don't need oil and there is a window so you can see your food cooking. It uses less electric then your common stove and cooks way faster.
I think you should try other models.
I hate that ppl don't want to try them due to this blog. They really should try it for themselves 🙂
[email protected] says
Oh it's not a bad model, just old. It does smoke a lot if you put in a lot of wet chicken wings.:). Oil is not needed, but I like the extra sheen, crispiness and color it provides. Thank you so much for reading and adding your thoughts to the discussion!